


The Punished and the Punisher

by DebbieF



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers for the episode Trial and Punishment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 03:55:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3595389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebbieF/pseuds/DebbieF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, this is the happy sequel to Accusations (ep. 9 based). Along with MAJOR spoilers and my humor of the moment. Just like last time, folks.<br/>As I don't ship very much there is another major spoiler near the end of the show that I do not have in my story. So you kids out in the UK (if you want to be spoiled by reading this) won't be spoiled by part of the ending.<br/>Aside from my own version of this story, I've incorporated original dialog as well or turned a phrase here or there in my storytelling.<br/>I hope you enjoy.<br/>Now I truly look forward to season 3!<br/>Long live the Musketeers!</p><p>++++</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Punished and the Punisher

_Next day, outside the Bastille_

An executioner sharpened his blade, intent on his work. Watching from a distance was a furious Athos, Porthos and Treville. They had learned the other day that Rochefort captured d’Artagnan when the boy went to see Constance. Finding out early in the morning that the comte decided to execute d’Artagnan along with his friend. _(Something tells me that ain’t happening.)_

“We stickin’ to our plan, eh?” Porthos gave Athos his fighting mode face.

“Absolutely,” Athos nodded to Treville as the older soldier left them. _(Mmmm, wonder where the former captain is off too. Guess we’ll soon find out.)_

Shortly thereafter, Constance and d’Artagnan are seen walking out of the Bastille. They both looked terrible. _(Well, wouldn’t you after being holed up in a dark, dank cell?)_

_Inside the Bastille_

In the meantime, Aramis seemed to be trying to pray his way out of jail. _(How’s that working for you?)_

_Back outside the Bastille_

Treville is now standing beside Comte Rochefort on a balcony overlooking the proceedings. _(Well now we know where Treville went off too... watch for it Rochefort.)_

“This is cold blooded murder!” Treville spat, glaring at Rochefort’s gloating face.

“Non,” Rochefort shakes his head, “this is justice.” He felt that taking down d’Artagnan, along with the lady, would hurt the Musketeers most. _(Wonder where he got that hairbrained idea?)_

"You don't know the meaning of the word," Treville retorted angrily. _(I agree.)_

As Constance and d'Artagnan stood on the scaffold, they both refused the blindfolds. _(I don't think I could.)_

"I want to see as much of this world as I can before I leave it," Constance told them as her eyes locked onto her friend d'Artagnan's. _(There's really not much to see. You're on a wooden platform with a blade hovering over your neck)._

"And I am a Musketeer to my dying breath and have no need of one," d'Artagnan stuck out his chin proudly. _(The pups' still feisty.)_

As both of them knelt down, they grasped each others hands tightly. With bent heads they could see between the floor boards and _(wonder of wonders)_ they spied Athos looking back up at them holding his pistol. _(You never know where that man will turn up. Usually a tavern's a good bet, but I digress.)_

Athos managed to shoot the executioner and creates a bit of chaos along the way as he rescues the cute twosome. _(Yeah, Athos is a true hero in my book next to d'Artagnan of course.)_

While mayhem abounds down below, Treville held a blade against a struggling Rochefort's throat.

"You'll die for this," Rochefort hissed.

"Not by your hand," Treville counterd as he jumped on the back of Athos' horse Roger. With Constance riding behind d'Artagnan on Zad.

Suddenly an explosion rips through the air, blowing Red Guards all over the place. (M _y those pretty capes look nice flapping in the wind that way.)_ This created an excellent diversion for our friend's getaway. _(I'm cheering them on... go get out of that place!)_

++++

Meanwhile, Porthos is in the middle of nowhere calling out Vargas' name. _(We assume the meet was already set up.)_

When Vargas stepped out into view, Porthos dismounted and corrected the other man's misconception about who sent for him. Then he began to feed him a pack of lies. "I was a servant in Peralis' employ," Porthos grinned. "Ya learn all kinds of secrets that way. Like who was the spymaster and his agent that was sent to worm their way into King Louis' good graces." It didn't take long for Vargas to order an attack on him after that. But as Vargas' men try to kill Porthos, he rides off laughing. _(Have you ever noticed that Porthos laughs in the face of danger? I seriously worry about him sometimes.)_

++++

_Hideaway (Not sure where. Guess that's why it's a hideaway)_

As Constance, d'Artagnan, Athos and Treville all mill about aimlessly inside the building, d'Artagnan voiced his thoughts on their current predicament. "We should just end this now," he leaned back against the wall. "A shot is just all I'll need. _(And he's not boasting either.)_

"Killing Rochefort will solve nothing," Treville said as he looked at everyone's tired features.

"We've seen what he's capable of," d'Artagnan retorted. "Aramis is at his mercy."

"Aramis is a Musketeer," Athos gave d'Artagnan a look that told the youngster that Athos shouldn't have needed to remind him of that fact.

"None of us are Musketeers any longer," Treville practically shouted. "We're outlaws now. _(Did he really need to point that out? The others feel bad enough already.)_

"It's not the man we have to destroy," Constance offers quietly, "it's his lies." _(You keep thinking on those lines.)_

"You want to let him live," d'Artagnan's eyesbrows rose upward, "that man was seconds away from killing us both." He dropped the argument for now. All d'Artagnan knew was that Rochefort would be dead one way or the other. _(I'd go with - the other.)_

Making plans to go join Porthos, Constance insisted on coming along for the ride. "I'm going too."

"Oh no you're not!" d'Artagnan snapped at her.

"I want to help Porthos," Constance glared back at d'Artagnan and held his gaze. _(That's right, stand firm.)_ "After all, I was the one made to watch Rochefort murder Lemay before my very eyes," she dared any of them to try and talk her out of this. _(I know I wouldn't.)_ "Rochefort's my enemy now just as much as yours."

"Very well," d'Artagnan huffed in annoyance, rolling his eyes at her. "But when the times comes... Rochefort's mine." _(Once again... you go, d'Art!)_

++++

_Royal Palace, Queen's chambers_

When the queen's ladies-in-waiting, along with Marguerite filed into her rooms, Queen Anne turned to face the woman she thought a friend to her. "What is the price for betraying those you should have held most dear?" _(Seriously, I doubt Marguerite knew the answer to that one since she hadn't been playing with a full deck since this all began.)_ When Marguerite looked away from her, Queen Anne was filled with nothing but contempt.

++++

_King Louis' chambers_

As Rochefort tried to convince the king of Queen Anne's guilt, the lady in question burst into the king's chambers to fall on her knees to plead her case.

"We must consider the evidence in the proper manner," Rochefort said calmly while staring at the queen with his one good eye. _(Shame that the Queen didn't take out both eyes... I know, I'm evil.)_

"I am falsely accused!" Queen Anne declared in all her regalness. _(You go queenie!)_

As the queen's removed, Rochefort goes a step further to put a nail in her coffin. He told the king that while going through some of Cardinal Richelieu's papers, Rochefort discovered that the cardinal had suspicions of an affair between Aramis and the queen, which resulted in the birth of the Dauphin.

Well at this enlightening piece of news, King Louis clutched his head and moaned like he was going mad. _(I'm sorry to say but he'd been acting like that since the beginning of season two.)_ Then King Louis held onto Rochefort's hands like a lifeline. "I must know everything now! Everything! Do you hear?"

++++

_Bastille... again_

Facing Rochefort, Aramis asked, "Are you going to torture me?" _(I know I've said it before but... duh.)_

"There's still hope for the queen if you tell the truth," Rochefort said. "The king will divorce Queen Anne and exile her and the baby from France."

Aramis just listened, not saying a word and watched Rochefort walk away.

++++

_Back to the Porthos and Vargas throwdown_

Porthos lined up all his weapons in a row _(the man's prepared for a siege)_ as he waited for Vargas and his men to attack him again.

As Vargas goes in search of Porthos, they are straying further into French territory which was making his men quite nervous. _(What's to be anxious about riding into your enemies' backyard?)_

Hidden from view, Porthos grinned. "That's right... come and get me." _(You're a wicked man, Porthos.)_

As Vargas' men tried to surround him, Porthos shoots another and then heard Vargas yell out to him.

"You're a fine shot for a lowly servant, Monsieur, but how long do you think you can hold out?" _(Evidently Vargas had never heard of Porthos before or he wouldn't have asked such a dumb question.)_

"All right then, let's make it right quick," Porthos growled and started shooting anything that moved.

++++

_Royal Palace_

Rochefort held court in a tribunal of sorts as Aramis stood before him, made to swear an oath of truthfulness on the bible. _(I'm not going to touch that one.)_

As Rochefort listed Aramis' crimes he asked the Musketeer to confess.

"I understand God is with us now, in this room. We will all be judged from what is in our hearts," Aramis looked calmly at Rochefort and the others seated in judgment of him. _(Great line, Aramis, but I'm afraid it's lost on good ole Rochefort.)_

Then Aramis finally erupted and blasted Rochefort by accusing the comte of his own misdeeds and of being a Spanish spy, while unaware _(or perhaps not)_ that King Louis was hearing every word spoken from another room.

Then Rochefort brought in Marguerite, who enforced her earlier lies about Aramis and the queen's infidelities. _(Can we not get rid of this woman?)_

When Rochefort made Marguerite realize that Aramis only got close to her to be with the Dauphin, her blinders were truly lifted. _(Must take a brick wall to fall on her head to wake her up.)_ But she still tried to hold Aramis' hand as she cried when dragged away. _(I can't feel sorry for her.)_

Rochefort condemned Aramis for execution and had him taken away.

++++

When Rochefort spoke with King Louis over everything he had  heard, the king appeared sickened. _(And what God awful looking cardigan was His Majesty wearing? Someone should have told him it's out of season.)_

"I have lost more than a queen today, I have lost my son, my only son," King Louis whispered brokenly. His voice hardened as Rochefort tried to further the conversation. "Leave me!" he ordered. _(Finally some backbone, although a bit late in the day for that.)_

++++

Back at the ranch _(well not really, just where we left Porthos hanging)_

Porthos is still sticking it to Vargas' men one by one until the calvary finally arrived in the form of his friends. _(Have to wonder how they knew where to find  him since they had no word from Porthos. What did the man do? Send up smoke signals?)_

As Vargas had his gun trained on Porthos who was laying on the ground at the time, all the Musketeers came out of their hiding places with muskets and pistols drawn aimed Vargas' way. Then Vargas felt the hint of cold steel teasing his neck as the tip of a sword brushed his skin. When he turned around to look back it was to see a woman wielding it. _(Boy was he surprised.)_

"Surrender, Monsieur," Constance announced firmly with a cold look in her eyes.

Looking back at the Musketeers, Vargas sneered. "You bring women to fight your battles?"

"Perhaps I bring men to fight mine," Constance retorted swiftly, earning a bright smile from d'Artagnan.

The Musketeers then informed Vargas of everything Rochefort had done and that it has assured Queen Anne's death.

Vargas freely admitted to breaking Rochefort himself.

"He's a monster of your making," d'Artagnan shouted in disgust.

"You created him, now you must destroy him," Athos pronounced.

++++

_Royal Palace (seems we go here a lot lately)_

Hearing the Dauphin crying it's poor petite head off, Rochefort goes into the room and finds lady Marguerite had killed herself. _(I didn't know I was so bloodthirsty... but finally.)_ It looked like a bottle was in her hand. _(Probably a leftover of Rochefort's poison he used on the king. Nasty business that.)_ Whatever letter she had left behind the comte quickly destroyed as he turned back around leaving the room without a backward glance.

Rochefort then goes to see the queen to tell her he'd plead her case to the king. _(Lies all lies, don't you believe him, lady.)_

"There is only you and I now," Rochefort declared. _(Very original... not.)_ He explained it was thoughts of her that got him through his years of imprisonment in a Spanish jail.

"In all that time, Rochefort, I never thought of you once," Queen Anne shot back. _(Great put down.)_

"Aramis will die on the rack being torn apart," Rochefort enjoyed the pain he saw reflected on her face as he left the queen alone.

++++

_Bastille (yes, I know we've been here before)_

Struggling with his chains, Aramis talked to God again. _(I don't know if God's listening but there's always a chance.)_ He started making all sorts of promises to God if the divine gets him out of this mess he created for himself and his friends. Then Aramis does get his chance from an extremely unexpected source. _(Maybe God heard him after all.)_

"God works in mysterious ways does he not," Milady murmured as she unlocked the cell door and released Aramis from his chains.

Aramis knows his escape will be found out soon as he follows Milady out.

"Not an escape," Milady corrected him. "It was a rescue."

As they keep walking, Aramis muttered to himself. "Not a rescue yet."

As they tried to leave they encountered a Red Guard and Milady wanted to just kill him outright but Aramis knocked the man out instead. _(I was all for Milady's plan.)_

"You shouldn't treat death so lightly," Aramis chided her. _(Cut  her some slack, man, she just saved your bacon and you didn't even thank her.)_

++++

_The hideaway with no name_

Milady arrived with Aramis in tow and there were hugs all around. Aramis didn't even appear surprised to see Constance there as well.

As d'Artagnan hugged him close, he grinned. "You just won't die, will you?" _(But it was a close thing, d'Art.)_

"My thanks for saving, Aramis," Athos approached Milady with gratitude.

As they talked, Anne admitted to wanting a different life, a better one than she'd been living.

"Where will you go?" Athos watched her, wondering what Anne's answer would be. _(Me too, Athos.)_

"England," Milady replied seeing Athos roll his eyes and pull a face.

Athos then tried to make excuses why England wouldn't be a good choice for her.

Then Milady tried to talk Athos into leaving with her. _(Athos, Athos, don't fall for it.)_ "We have no reason in the world left to trust each other, but who else can we trust?" Milady went on to tell him she'd wait for him to make a decision about joining her. _(Ah, a real hearts and flowers moment here. We should contact Hallmark.)_ If he isn't at the crossroads within a reasonable amount of time, Milady will leave alone.

Breaking the tender moment between husband and wife, d'Artagnan walked in. "It's time to take Vargas to the king."

++++

_Royal Palace (haven't we been here before? I probably could give a tour by now)_

Informing King Louis of Aramis' escape _(but it was a rescue, Rochefort)_ he convinced the king to sign Queen Anne's execution papers. Though the king did fall apart at this, crying that he'd be all alone. _(Got a newsflash for you, Louis, you're quite alone. That's what happens when you act like a royal ass.)_ Eventually King Louis signed it. "But it must be quiet and swift... must be swift," he repeated, barely sounded like himself.

Bowing, Rochefort murmured, "Your Majesty is most merciful." He then cleared the palace out of everyone but King Louis' personal guards. Rochefort went to his room to take out a garrote that he held tightly in his hands. _(No need to second guess what that's for.)_

As the Musketeers enter the palace in hopes of reaching the queen, it's much too quiet. Constance pointed out there aren't even any servants about. But of course there are Red Guards who they engage in a fight. Constance even managed to shoot one herself. _(Ever heard of female Musketeers? I think she'd qualify.)_

Forgetting to duck, d'Artagnan got hit by a musket ball. "Merde!" d'Artagnan swore.

"How bad?" Athos was immediately by the younger man's side trying to rip open the boy's doublet to take a look.

Batting his mentor's hands away, d'Artagnan scowled. "I'm fine. It's just a graze," he huffed. "Now's not the time anyway," d'Artagnan rolled his eyes at the look Athos sent him. "I've had worse."

"Don't remind me," Athos remarked dryly.

++++

_Queen's chambers_

While Queen Anne prayed, the fighting outside continued. Rochefort quietly entered her rooms. When she felt his presence behind her, Queen Anne turned her head and noticed what Rochefort carried. She then realized her husband had ordered her death.

++++

As the fighting grew in intensity outside King Louis' chamber, the king moved closer to the door. "Hello?" _(Who the heck do you think is out there? It isn't the Avon lady that's for sure.)_

When the Musketeers entered the king's room, King Louis stepped back slightly. "If this is to be my end, I would rather be shot than stabbed. _(Don't tempt me.)_

"We're not here to kill you, sire," d'Artagnan said, wondering if the king's lost his mind. ( _Oh that happened a long time ago.)_ "We've brought the Spanish spymaster Vargas here to speak with you about Rochefort."

So while the king listened to what Vargas had to say, Rochefort was about to strangle the queen.

"You will never touch me again, Rochefort," Queen Anne announced calmly while holding back her tears. _(The whole time I'm wondering why she just accepted her fate. I'd go out kicking and screaming but hey that's just me.)_

Bursting into the room, Aramis is followed closely by Constance _(minus her Musketeer uniform)._ As he fights with Rochefort, Aramis gets a shot off and hits the comte in the arm while Constance rushed to the queen's side. Constance tried to lash out at Rochefort herself with a sword but Aramis pushed her back. _(Oh let the girl have some fun, Aramis.)_ As they continued fighting, Rochefort taunted Aramis with Marguerite's death. Aramis fought all the more furiously managing to get his main gauche out to stick it high in Rochefort's back.

The devil was truly with Rochefort as the man was still able to stay on his feet. He managed to stumble out into the queen's antechamber to face down the rest of the Musketeers as they all aimed their rapiers toward him. And then Aramis joined their number. _(Count them. Four very angry men.)_

Pulling the dagger out of his back, still the comte didn't give up and lashed out at each of them. _(You can't keep a good rogue down apparently.)_ When Treville paraded Vargas inside the chamber, Rochefort realized the game was up. "You've betrayed me." He is then informed the king knew everything now. It's do or die time as Rochefort continued to battle the Musketeers one by one until he is faced with a furious d'Artagnan.

Fighting with all his heart, even though his opponent is a wounded animal, d'Artagnan strikes out at Rochefort viciously. For himself, Constance and most of all Lemay. For what they had all endured at the hands of this maniac. His cuts are swift, brutal and d'Artagnan ends with a neat thrust into Rochefort's chest. Plunging his sword in deeper as d'Artagnan gets into the comte's face to stare into the man's dying eyes. Removing his blade, it makes a sucking sound as it is covered in Rochefort's blood.

When Rochefort collapsed to slide down a wall, Vargas knelt down beside him. "Spain thanks you for your service." _(Sure it does.)_

"None of this was for Spain," Rochefort admits weakly. As his gaze took in all the faces in the room, it finally settled on the queen as he drew in his last breath. _(Should we feel sorry for the nutter? I don't think so.)_

Aramis _(God love the man)_ actually was going to give the man a blessing for the dead until Queen Anne stopped him.

"No, Aramis, not for him," she shook her head.

++++

_Outside the palace_

After all the turmoil, it seemed that King Louis was back to playing happy families again with his queen and baby boy. He told Queen Anne how proud he was of her and spoke with his Musketeers as well. "Rochefort had my mind completely wrapped in such terrible lies. It felt like I had awoken from a nightmare. _(Well when you're stupid enough to trust everything that came out of that man's mouth, what did you expect?)_ King Louis even apologized to Aramis, the latter brushed it aside with grace and aplomb. _(I will assume that the king thanked his loyal Musketeers as well, though you didn't hear it.)_

Queen Anne had smiles and thanks for her brave Musketeers at least, while Constance held the Dauphin close in her arms and winked at d'Artagnan's sassy grin.

The king then pulled Treville aside telling him they needed to talk. King Louis went on to tell him that he thought Spain went too far this time. _(Ya think?)_. "You will be my new Minister of War, Treville," King Louis glared at him sternly. "You will not refuse me a second time."

And Treville gladly accepted the new position. Realizing that they were now on the brink of war.

++++

As the Musketeers all walked away from the palace, Aramis pulled back. "There's something I need to tell all of you."

The other three men just stared at Aramis curiously.

"I'm going to resign my commission. I made a vow to God," Aramis could tell this wasn't sitting well with his friends. _(Nope, wouldn't sit well with me either.)_ "I didn't say anything earlier because I knew you'd try to talk me out of this."

"We're still going too," d'Artagnan fired back.

"I'm going to a monastery," Aramis added softly.

"You're gonna become a monk?" Porthos looked fit to be tied. _(Can't say I blamed him.)_ Looking over at Athos, he frowned. "We're just gonna let him go?"

Walking up to Aramis, Athos looked at his old friend for what he thought would probably be the last time. "Non, he's letting us go." He clapped his friend on the back and stood away as d'Artagnan rushed forward nearly knocking Athos over.

Hugging each other hard, d'Artagnan's eyes watered. "You'll be missed."

Whispering into the boy's ear, Aramis sniffed holding his own tears back. "Take care of yourself. Try to stay out of trouble and watch over Constance." _(Wanting d'Art to stay out of trouble, that's a tall order.)_

After hugging Porthos last, Aramis looked at each of his brothers in turn. Holding out his hand, palm down, Aramis said, "All for one..."

"And one for all," they repeated in unison. Then the three men watched Aramis leave them.

++++

_Later that same day (my it's been a long one)_

Treville entered the courtyard to make an announcement to his men. "War has been declared on Spain. All leaves have been cancelled as of now. He walked up to Athos and pulled him aside. "I'm making you captain of the regiment now that I've got duties as the Minister of France."

"Me!" Athos shook his head. "Non, I'm not fit to lead anyone." _(Oh, Athos, yes you are.)_

"The men all look up to you," Treville snorted. 'Beside it's your duty."

With everything happening, Athos never had a chance to even take up Anne's offer, and he knew by now that she was long gone. D'Artagnan walked over to his side and placed a hand on Athos' arm.

"Is it Milady?" d'Artagnan had been told later by Athos about the discussion his mentor had had with Milady. If he were honest with himself, he would not have wanted his friend to go with her. But, d'Artagnan knew that Milady still had a strong hold over his comrade and probably always would.

"I have much more important matters on my mind right now," Athos frowned. "Treville's just named me captain." _(He said it like he just contracted a deadly disease.)_

"That's wonderful," d'Artagnan chuckled. "Strange, but wonderful news."

As Porthos heard that as well, he hugged his friend. "Congratulations! Couldn't have happened to a better man."

"Don't get me started," Athos grumbled and shot both his friends dirty looks as the other two started laughing.

"Don't seem right us going off to war without Aramis," Porthos commented.

"Perhaps someone should tell him," d'Artagnan quirked a brow and grinned. _(He's the mischief maker of the group, couldn't you tell?)_

Treville gave his blessing to the three men to go get Aramis. "Just make sure you return before the regiment rides to the border. He smiled at their relieved expressions.

Waving goodbye to Constance and Treville, the three men race out of the garrison on their horses.

"After you, Porthos" d'Artagnan grinned at the other man as he urged Zad to gain more speed, while Porthos laughed freely in joy behind him with Athos bringing up the rear.

The End

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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